Tips and Tricks Webinar:

ANSYS Solutions to Metal

Additive Manufacturing

Sandeep Medikonda
Technical Support Engineer

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Overview
• Additive Manufacturing (AM) Background
• ANSYS Solutions to AM
- WB Additive, Additive Print and Additive Science
• Methodology:
‐ WB Additive
‐ Additive Print
• Construction Guidelines:
‐ Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM)
‐ Using SpaceClaim to your advantage
• Capabilities:
- Distortion Compensation
- DED Process
- Supports (Auto-Generated and Stress-based supports)
• Software Specific Tips

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AM Background: What is it and why use it?
Additive Manufacturing refers to all processes in which material
is joined together to create a desired object.

1. Impossible to Manufacture
2. Light weighting
3. Part Consolidation
4. Multifunctional Designs
5. Distributed Production
6. New Material Properties
7. Replacement Parts
8. Customization
9. …

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 AM Background: Rapid Growth of Metal AM

Unit Sales of Metal AM Printers $1 MILLION +

Source: Wohlers Report 2018

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AM Background: Manufacturing Methods?

VAT Photopolymerisation

Directed Energy Deposition

Sheet Lamination

Binder Jetting
Powder Bed Fusion
Material Extrusion

Material Jetting

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 AM Background:
Metal Additive Manufacturing – Powder Bed Fusion

Laser Scanner

Roller

Object being
fabricated
Powder
Delivery
system
Fabrication powder bed

Powder delivery piston Fabrication piston

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AM Background: Challenges in Additive Manufacturing

It can take multiple build tries until a successful build

is obtained
− Recoater arm interference (blade crash)
− Breaking off from supports
− Part fracture
− Excessive distortion
− …
 $15,000

$8,000
$5,000

The ROI
$30,000
$7,500

8 © 2018 ANSYS, Inc. February 18, 2019 ANSYS Confidential

ANSYS Solutions to AM
• ANSYS Workbench & Mechanical Enterprise Additive
Capabilities
• Process Simulation
• Topological Optimization
• Lattice Optimization

• Additive Print (Desktop & Cloud Application)

• Predict build quality, part distortion, reduce build
failures
• Maximize productivity of your AM machine
• Lightweight, Standalone application

• Additive Science
• Scan-vector-level thermal analysis
• In-depth material behavior
Process parameter optimization Additive Science
Enable design for AM Workbench Additive
Facilitate “first time right” print Additive Print
Methodology: Workbench Additive (Lumped Layer)
• The method used to simulate the whole structure in a global simulation model is called
lumped layer approach

• Motivation: Quick simulation that catches the global stress/strain as well as the distortion
that occurs during the printing process

• This is using an element birth/death technique where the simulation is done layer by layer

• So we are doing several subsequent simulations where in each the element status as well as
the boundary conditions are updated such as convection

• To do this quick simulation some assumptions are made:

‐ Thermal and structural physics are uncoupled (weak coupling)
‐ We do not follow the laser beam (we use a whole layer at a time)
‐ We assume the thermal effects in building direction are more relevant than the in-plane
effects
‐ Several powder layers are lumped to one FE layer (due to the computational effort), 10-20
layers
‐ For support structures homogenized material is used. This is not modeled in detail.

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Methodology: Workbench Additive (Lumped Layer)
Global model heat source
Applying the power by using temperature T
Power Temperature
Reality:
Power (Time)
Temperature (Time)

1 layer: Q, Δt E = Q • Δt
100 layers: Q, Δt E = 100 • Q • Δt time time

Simulation:
Power (Time) Power Temperature
Temperature (Time)

1 layer: ΔT E = ΔT • V • c • ρ
2 layers: ΔT E = 2 • ΔT • V • c • ρ
Simulation-time Simulation-time
Disadvantage: not conforming to time

This is the procedure used in ANSYS Workbench Additive

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Methodology: Workbench Additive (Lumped Layer)
• Weak indirect coupling:
• Temperature field
and then sequentially
• Structure mechanics

This weak indirect coupling is used in ANSYS WB Additive

Methodology: Additive Print
Three solver/strain modes:
• Assumed uniform strain
− simulates in layers the thickness of the voxels shrinking uniformly
− very fast simulation
• Scan pattern based
− follows the scan pattern
− shrinks the voxels nonuniformly
− slightly longer simulation time but gives a much better idea of anisotropic effects
− patterns can be imported from select printers, or a generic scan pattern can be created by
the software
• Thermal simulation
− full thermal simulation of the build
− gets the effects of the reheating
− extremely intensive simulation and is only recommended for experienced users

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 Methodology: What’s Unique about Additive Print?

…results in a unique
Thermal History

Each Machine Manufacturer uses A unique Scan Pattern…

different Scan Pattern logic

Which is why Predicting Thermal …which results in different:

History for Full-Scale components - Strain Magnitudes
is critically important - Defect Distributions
- Microstructures
- Mechanical Properties
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 Methodology: Additive Print – Simulation Options
Laser Scan Pattern Thermal History Level of Fidelity
Effects Effects

Assumed Uniform Strain N N

54 mins run
Scan Pattern based Y N
Strain
61 mins run
Thermal Strain Y Y

2 hrs 26mins run

* Example showing strain values (red=higher strain) with 0.125mm voxels
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 Construction Guidelines: Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM)
• Important, as this drives • Remarks on support structure
• Cost
- printing time + They help to overcome regions with overhang angles
+ They help to avoid deformations
- the amount of material needed
+ They conduct heat that occurs during the print process
- time for finish + They help to temporarily stabilize regions that are
- Possible part crash unstable during the print but stable after the print
• Quality
- The more support material you have the more cost due
- Surface quality to printing time
- Part performance - The more support material you have the more material
cost you will have
- The more support material you have the more time for
• The result is depending on the the finish is needed
design, the orientation and the
support structure

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 Construction Guidelines: Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM)
Contd…

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 Construction Guidelines: Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM)
Contd…

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Construction Guidelines: Using SpaceClaim to your advantage

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Capabilities: Distortion Compensation

Original Geometry Compensated Geometry

 Capabilities: Distortion Compensation - Guidance on establishing an
optimal scale factor? KM# 2054263

As the KM document states, "...the Distortion Compensation feature tends to be an iterative process.“

• Experienced users have observed that scale factors between 0.25 - 0.50 are usually very good.
• After 2-3 iterations you get a STL that will give close to expected geometry when build.
• Also "compensation" should be tried after you have done orientation & support optimization for a your build. So that
you have optimized build strategy first & then last thing to do is get a good compensated built.

KM# 2055983

Discusses 2 Case studies

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Capabilities: Direct Energy Deposition (DED) process
KM# 2056012
DED processes introduce powder or a wire into the path of a laser
or electron beam, melting and depositing it onto the solidified
material below

Available only in Workbench Additive

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Supports: Auto-generated, Manual and Stress-based Supports

Autogenerated Supports: Can be Manual Supports: CAD

controlled with the over-hang angle. geometry supports can also
Available both in WB Additive and Additive be specified in both WB
Print. Additive and Additive Print. Stress-based Supports: Available only in
Additive Print.

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 Software Specific: Workbench Additive – Convergence Troubles?

• You can overcome (some of) these problems by deactivating the Solver Pivot Checking in
the Analysis Settings of the Static Structural Analysis.
• Also switching off large deflections might help to overcome such situations. This is almost
as accurate and saves up to 30% of calculation time.
• Check bonded contact with Initial Contact tool and increase pin-ball radius if needed.
• Try using a Direct solver.
• Try using the Layered tetrahedron mesher.
‐ Captures geometry details
‐ More suitable for thin-walled parts

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 Software Specific: Additive Print – How to Speed up an Assumed
Strain analysis?

1. The simulation could be sped up significantly if the part can be rotated so that the shortest dimension is in Z.
As a general rule, the taller the part, the longer the simulation. However, this not often a valid option as the user
typically has a specific orientation they are trying to simulate. Hence, it should be utilized whenever possible.

2. Increasing the voxel size: Sometimes the default voxel size of 0.5 could be too fine depending on the part
geometry. However, if the part is thick enough to fit 2-3 voxels in its thinnest region. It can be increased.

3. Turning off the layer-wise VTK files option: Writing out Layer by Layer Stress/distortion tend to generate a zip
file which is really big and the longer the part is in Z, the longer the size of this file. Turning off this option when
not needed will help with the speed.

Note that for too long thin structures result in low connectivity of the mesh nodes and in such cases it might
become unavoidable for the simulation to take a long time to run.

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 Software Specific: Additive Print - post-processing results?
KM# 2055985
The additive print files can be post-processed by one of the following softwares: KM# 2054333
- ParaView (open-source) KM# 2053917
- ANSYS Ensight
- ANSYS Viewer.

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Software Specific: Additive Print – Common Errors and fixes?
KM# 2055413 KM# 2055363
“Scanline start point outside of part boundary” “Unable to slice , Value cannot be null. Parameter
“Part contour point outside of part boundary” name: Invalid STL file path provided”
• Scan patterns are exceeding the part boundaries. • The zip file should contain an STL part geometry in addition
• Either the geometry in the STL file needs to be scaled to match to the build file (ex. MTT file). Both files are required while
what is in the machine instruction file or the geometry orientation processing a build file.
needs to be rotated to match the machine instruction file or both. • In addition, The part geometry in the STL file needs to be
the same size and orientation as the part described in the
KM# 2056681 MTT file.
“Error: Bad Allocation”
“Error: INVALID INPUT: Out of memory” KM# 2054798
• Means that there isn't enough memory on the computer being “Error: Matrix stopped being positive definite”
used to run the simulation. • It would be a good first step to check the part
• Increase voxel size (reducing the resolution) to decrease the dimensions and make sure that there are enough voxels
amount of memory needed. in the model to carry out the analysis.
KM# 2054632 KM# 2054520
“Upload Error” "Problem starting the application. Please contact
• Happens when the internet proxy server is [email protected]. The application will now exit.“
preventing the file from being uploaded • Additive print currently only supports the English Language.
to http://localhost:9001/ • 3rd party security software might be blocking certain Additive
related executables
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 Appendix

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AM Background: Metal additive manufacturing methods

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AM Background: Polymer additive manufacturing methods

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 AM Background
Topology Optimization is not enough

CNC Machined 3D Printed

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Additive Science - NEW tool for Material Scientists/
Analysts
To be Released
Is included in Additive Suite Soon

Designed specifically for:

• Material Scientists

• Metallurgists

• Materials Analysts Material Scientists

AM Machine Parameters Affect Quality of Printed Parts

Typical default
machine setting
Laser Power

Scanning Velocity
Linkedin.com/MarcSanders
 ANSYS Additive Science - Outputs

1. Meltpool Prediction – meltpool dimensions based

on machine parameters and material
2. Porosity Prediction - % porosity
3. Thermal Sensor Simulation – heat color map for a
cross-section of the printed part
4. Microstructure Predictions – grain size and
orientation

The results from Additive Science allow extrapolation

of mechanical properties of the final printed part
Single Bead Parametric (AS)

• New Additive Science Feature

• Dimensions of meltpool
(Length, Width, Depth)
• Helps users set machine
parameters of power and
speed
• Parametric Capability: up to
300 permutations
• Tuned and validated for
multiple materials (IN718,
IN625, CoCr, 17-4 PH, Ti64,
Al357)
• Limitations: Tuning function
only supports a specific range
of parameters, so range is
limited in UI.
Workbench Additive: Layered Tetrahedron Meshing
• You can use a tet mesh for build simulation
‐ Captures geometry details
‐ More suitable for thin-walled parts
‐ Produces layered mesh

Cartesian Mesh Layered Tetrahedron Mesh

Workbench Additive: Layered Tetrahedron Meshing

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